The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will transform the Italian landscapes of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo into the epicenter of global sports this February. While preliminary competitions ignite the spirit of the Games on February 4, the official festivities commence with a high-profile Opening Ceremony on February 6 at 2:00 pm ET. This inaugural event features world-class performances by icons Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, setting the stage for weeks of elite competition before the closing ceremony concludes the Games on February 22 at 2:30 pm ET.
Exclusive U.S. Broadcast and Streaming Rights
Continuing its long-standing tradition, NBC Universal holds the exclusive rights to broadcast the Winter Olympics within the United States. Viewers utilizing traditional cable or satellite services can access comprehensive coverage across several networks, including local NBC affiliates, CNBC, and the USA Network.
For cord-cutters and digital-first viewers, the Games will stream live on Peacock Premium. The service requires a monthly subscription of $11, while those seeking an uninterrupted experience can opt for the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus at $18 per month. To streamline the viewing experience, Peacock is reintroducing its dedicated Olympics hub, allowing users to search for specific sports, bookmark events, and receive live notifications. Given that the events take place in Northern Italy (GMT+1), these digital tools are essential for managing the time zone difference for U.S. audiences.
Opening Ceremony and Alpine Disciplines
The three-hour Opening Ceremony broadcasts across nearly all NBC platforms on Friday, February 6, starting at 2:00 pm ET (11:00 am PT). Shortly after, the focus shifts to the slopes.
Alpine Skiing
While training begins as early as February 4, the competitive calendar officially opens with the men’s downhill on February 7 at 5:30 am ET. The women’s downhill medal events follow on February 8. Medal competitions remain a daily fixture through February 18, culminating in the final men’s and women’s slalom runs on February 16 and February 18, respectively.
Biathlon
Combining the endurance of cross-country skiing with the precision of marksmanship, Biathlon events begin with the mixed 4 x 6 km relay on February 8. Every event in this discipline is a medal match, concluding with the men’s 15-km mass start on February 20 and the women’s 12.5-km mass start on February 21.
Sliding Sports: Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton
The icy chutes of Italy will host the three distinct sliding disciplines, each offering unique technical challenges and extreme speeds.
Bobsleigh
Training for bobsleigh—where teams of two or four navigate a sled from a seated position—starts February 12. The monobob medal events begin February 16, followed by the 2-man team finals on the same day. The 2-woman finals take place on February 21, with the 4-man team finale serving as a penultimate event on February 22.
Luge
Athletes in the luge discipline compete in a supine, feet-first position. Runs begin February 4, with the first medals awarded for the men’s singles on February 8. Women’s singles follow on February 10, with doubles and team relay medals scheduled for February 11 and 12.
Skeleton
In the most daring of the sliding sports, skeleton athletes plunge head-first down the track. Training sessions launch on February 9, leading to the men’s medal heats on February 13 and women’s on February 14. The mixed team competition concludes the discipline on February 15 at noon ET.
Ice Sports and Tactical Competitions
Curling
The strategic “chess on ice” begins February 4 with mixed doubles featuring Sweden vs. South Korea. Gold and bronze medals for mixed doubles are decided on February 10. The traditional team matches conclude with the men’s gold medal game on February 21 at 1:05 pm ET and the women’s gold medal match on February 22 at 5:05 am ET.
Figure Skating
Figure skating starts with team ice dance events on February 6. The podium race begins in earnest on February 8 with the men’s single team event. Men’s individual medals are awarded February 13, followed by the pairs on February 16 and the women’s individual finale on February 19.
Ice Hockey
The puck drops for women’s preliminary rounds on February 5. The women’s tournament reaches its peak with the gold medal game on February 19. The men’s competition begins February 11, with the high-stakes gold medal match scheduled for February 22.
New Frontiers: Ski Mountaineering
Making its Olympic debut in Bormio, Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) challenges athletes to ascend steep alpine terrain on skis before navigating a technical descent. This addition features sprint races and mixed relays. The women’s and men’s sprint finals are set for February 19, with the mixed relay medal event following on February 21 at 7:30 am ET.
Freestyle, Snowboard, and Speed Skating
Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding
Freestyle skiing events, including moguls, halfpipe, and aerials, run from February 9 through February 21. Snowboarding kicks off February 5, with big air medals awarded as early as February 7 for men and February 9 for women. Slopestyle finals are held on February 17 and 18.
Speed Skating (Short Track and Long Track)
Short track speed skating, known for its pack-style racing, begins its medal rounds on February 10. In contrast, traditional speed skating—a time-trial based discipline—starts with the women’s 3,000-meter medal race on February 7. Long track events conclude on February 21 with the mass start finals for both men and women.
Cross-Country and Nordic Combined
Cross-country skiing begins February 7 with the women’s skiathlon and finishes with the grueling 50-km mass start classics on February 21 (men) and February 22 (women). Nordic Combined, which merges ski jumping with cross-country racing, starts February 9 and features three primary medal events through February 19.
